tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36343083358730648102024-03-12T17:08:22.935-07:00Yummy in YorkshireReviews of places where I've eatenMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-36254658706782323752013-08-17T02:56:00.000-07:002013-08-17T02:58:49.417-07:00Yo Sushi: Leeds Trinity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UqPPTZu4mQM/UcXqeNju9AI/AAAAAAAAElI/TIsxaF57N_4/s1600/2013-05-27%25252013.49.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UqPPTZu4mQM/UcXqeNju9AI/AAAAAAAAElI/TIsxaF57N_4/s320/2013-05-27%25252013.49.06.jpg" /> </a></div>
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I had always avoided Yo Sushi as I don't eat meat or fish and so I thought there was nothing there for me.</div>
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However my OH convinced me to try the one in Sheffield and I found that there were lots of dishes I could enjoy.</div>
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Mt favourites are:</div>
<ul>
<li>unlimited miso soup</li>
<li>avocado maki</li>
<li>cucumber maki</li>
<li>Inari mini iso</li>
<li>Inari pocket</li>
<li>Pumpkin korroke with plum sauce (hot dish - my very favourite)</li>
<li>Vegetable gyoza</li>
<li>Mochi for dessert - it is an acquired but a real taste of Japan</li>
<li>Chocolate mochi - this is so delicious </li>
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Excuse the silly pics - we were trying to win an instagram contest they were running! </div>
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It is a fun dining experience as the colourful dishes whizz around the conveyor belt and you grab what you fancy. On Monday's they do Blue Monday's where all of the dishes are a certain price and so this is a great time to go and try a few out and then decide upon your favs for full price days.</div>
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I have eaten at the Finchley Road branch in London, Sheffield and the Harvey Nichols one in Leeds and now Leeds Trinity. My favourite and the best for service is the Harvey Nichols branch. The service throughout can be variable and sometimes in some branches the belt isn't well stocked and that detracts from the experience. </div>
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I have seen young kids eating here (mainly picking out the dessert dishes) and I think it is a good way to introduce them to sushi and to Japanese food. </div>
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Find the website <a href="http://www.yosushi.com/">here</a> and they offer lots of different promotions and discounts so its worth checking out. </div>
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Do you like Asian food? If so check out my review of Red Hot Buffet <a href="http://yummyinyorkshire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/red-hot-world-buffet-promotion-leeds.html">here</a>. </div>
Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-83057480293552281452013-07-05T03:39:00.002-07:002013-07-05T03:41:03.855-07:00Sunshine Bakery: Chapel Allerton Leeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rSokdmtN1g0/UdacJj4xSlI/AAAAAAAAEsY/01b39mxjVCk/s1600/IMG_20130702_164417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rSokdmtN1g0/UdacJj4xSlI/AAAAAAAAEsY/01b39mxjVCk/s320/IMG_20130702_164417.jpg" /> </a></div>
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Now I'm on maternity I have entered the realm of 'ladies what do lunch' and my friend was keen to try out the Sunshine Bakery. It's really cute and bijous - we had to leave the pram outside. They now have a terrace and so on a day like today (28 in Otley!) it would be great. It is inspired by a Parisian bakery and so is decorated in lots of opulent pinks - so my friends' little girl blended in well!</div>
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I have blogged about it before <a href="http://melgetsscrappy.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/sunshine-sweet-treats-and-cheesy-smiles.html">here</a> and had a deliciously light and fruity strawberry cupcake before - but this time opted for the cookie cupcake above. It had cookie pieces in the chocolate sponge, chocolate ganache and strawberry ganache topped with cookie crumbs and a piece of home made cookie. David, the owner and main baker, won best cupcakes of the year and says his secret is ground almonds to replace some of the flour to keep the sponge light.</div>
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I am always impressed by the reasonable prices too - they had giant cookies for a £1, delicious brownies for £1.50 and cupcakes for £1.75. This is such good value compared to the cupcakeries in London that offer dry and quite average cupcakes in excess of £3!</div>
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We only went for afternoon tea and so have yet to try the sandwiches or award winning sausage rolls and pastries - but there were plenty of customers popping in for savories too. Their <a href="http://www.sunshinebakeryleeds.co.uk/">website</a> includes their full menu and address etc.</div>
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I love that as well as tea (last time I tried the hibiscus tea and it was lovely) they also have classy soft drinks like Fenimans. I adore the Rose Lemonade with ice - so refreshing.</div>
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We both got some brownies to take-away with us - the two choices were crunchie or malteaser flavour. I got one of each and shared them with my OH in the evening and they were fudgy and delicious.</div>
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Overall: </div>
<ul>
<li>some of the best baked goods in Leeds</li>
<li>reasonable prices for great quality ingredients</li>
<li>lovely terrace for sunny days</li>
<li>Burger clubs on Sundays and a good savory menu too</li>
<li>a great place to meet up with friends </li>
<li>they also have stalls at local markets like the Kirkstall Deli market that I reviewed<a href="http://yummyinyorkshire.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/kirkstall-abbey-deli-market-leeds.html"> here </a></li>
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Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-64521999745212106452013-07-02T04:20:00.001-07:002013-07-02T04:23:04.225-07:00Kirkstall Abbey Deli Market: Leeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GAqg0u9imCc/UdKzcA9X5nI/AAAAAAAAEnI/hDIPR86iY7Y/s1600/June+2013+Bump+and+market+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GAqg0u9imCc/UdKzcA9X5nI/AAAAAAAAEnI/hDIPR86iY7Y/s400/June+2013+Bump+and+market+009.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
It's a Saturday in Leeds and the sun is out <a href="http://tinyurl.com/qa9ugsp">Leeds List</a> tweeted about <a href="http://www.kirkstalldelimarket.org.uk/">Kirkstall Deli Market</a> and we decided this was a good place to check out. It is on from 12-3 on the last Saturday of every month - check out the website for more details.<br />
I love markets with local fresh produce, but also cuisines from around the world and this is what we found here. <br />
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Canadian stall - just in time for Canadian Day!</div>
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Yorkshire Pies</div>
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Salts Bakery</div>
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Stalls selling local produce from their allotments</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-77Xz1P6hyvs/UdKzmnUratI/AAAAAAAAEnw/TPcKGGu9H3M/s1600/June+2013+Bump+and+market+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-77Xz1P6hyvs/UdKzmnUratI/AAAAAAAAEnw/TPcKGGu9H3M/s400/June+2013+Bump+and+market+014.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Plenty of tasters and free samples - this chipolata ketchup was seriously spicy but very tasty<br />
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My husband's lunch of Nepalese curry from The Hungry Buddha</div>
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My personal favourite stall - The Yummy Yank</div>
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In the gorgeous surrounding of the Abbey</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_jK6nrvYskM/UdKzxbLiT6I/AAAAAAAAEoQ/zm1d5J-enOw/s1600/June+2013+Bump+and+market+025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_jK6nrvYskM/UdKzxbLiT6I/AAAAAAAAEoQ/zm1d5J-enOw/s400/June+2013+Bump+and+market+025.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yummy brownies from the Yummy Yank (find her on twitter here: Lisa Gair @TheYummyYank)</div>
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These slices with reeses pieces and oreo are the tastiest thing on her stall</div>
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This is where I got my lunch - a sweet potato falafal wrap with hummus and taziki </div>
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The Hungry Buddha</div>
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We are definitely going again in July and I look forward to trying out some of the Mexican food then...</div>
Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-59210561300519475572013-06-21T08:11:00.001-07:002013-06-21T11:13:08.819-07:00Red Hot World Buffet Promotion: Leeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever have the dilemma of what type of cuisine to opt for on a night out? Can't agree with your family, friends or partner whether to go for Chinese or Indian? Does your husband hanker for a steak whilst you have a real craving for Mexican?</div>
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If so look no further than the<b><span style="color: red;"> Red Hot World Buffet..</span></b>.I was invited to sit at the Chef's table at their Leeds branch and was seriously impressed with all of their dishes. The restaurant in Leeds includes specialist zones such as North and South Indian kitchens, a sushi station, a cold-stone creamery, Oriental grill and Mediterranean kitchens. I have also been with my family about six month's ago - when we were impressed with the stunning presentation of the food, the attentive service and the vast choice of dishes. So please be aware that although the meal was complimentary all views and opinions included in this review are my own.</div>
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Above is a picture of the 'mocktail' which greeted me - all juicy strawberries and crushed ice (a perfect combo for a heavily pregnant lady!) </div>
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And here was our menu, complete with accompanying photos, for the night:</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hand rolled salmon sushi or with avocado and mango (v)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Entrée</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Potato tikki, a traditional Indian street food</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fish course</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Seafood risotto or with asparagus and sundried tomato (v)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HbH682Pv3F8/UcRUHgoUwYI/AAAAAAAAEjw/d5IaXapmfJ8/s320/IMG_20130621_141835.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Main course</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Chicken teppanyaki prepared on an Oriental grill or with vegetables (v)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Petit fours</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mini crème br</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ȗ</span><span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">l</span><span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">é</span><span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">e, brownies and cheesecakes served with fresh coffee</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dessert</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pancakes served with a variety of delicious toppings</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Baskerville Old Face","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Choose from triple chocolate, white chocolate and strawberry or banana and caramel</span></div>
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-o5pnZpiacvA/UcRUKbYZmcI/AAAAAAAAEkA/Qus3AWRmXH0/s1600/IMG_20130621_141943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="320" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-o5pnZpiacvA/UcRUKbYZmcI/AAAAAAAAEkA/Qus3AWRmXH0/s320/IMG_20130621_141943.jpg" width="320" /> </a> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And to finish homemade mini macaroons with melon liquor - phew! Serious food coma!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: magenta;">My highlights: </span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">Avocado and mango sushi was light and the spring flavours really complimented each other</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">The sauces served with the potato tikki really set it off and it was a yummy starter</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">The risotto was delicately flavoured and has plenty of asparagus tips to crunch on</span></li>
<li><span style="color: magenta;">The brownie and chocolate pancakes were a revelation and for me the top dish of the night - but then I do have a serious case of sweet tooth!</span></li>
</ul>
Overall:<br />
<ul>
<li>Perfect for a big group or family as there is so much variety (there is a stringent booking policy for big groups - so be aware of this)</li>
<li>Attentive service</li>
<li>Food is expertly prepared using the freshest ingredients and is presented in an eye-catching and mouth watering plethora of cuisines</li>
<li>You will not leave hungry!</li>
</ul>
Website: <a href="http://www.redhot-worldbuffet.com/">http://www.redhot-worldbuffet.com/ </a><br />
Branches in: Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Milton Keynes, Northampton and Cardiff.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>The lovely people at Red Hot are offering a special promotion exclusively for readers and followers of this blog: <a href="http://www.redhot-worldbuffet.com/book-online/?id=2&offerid=1179">Redhot-worldbuffet.com/LEJUNE </a></b></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So what are you waiting for?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-59989413456019491622013-06-16T12:24:00.001-07:002013-06-21T11:13:29.283-07:00Red's True BBQ: Leeds city centre<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">Having read rave reviews of trip advisor and loving all things Americano I was keen to try this new BBQ restaurant. It is opposite the Corn Exchange - on the corner of Call Lane.<br />
<br />
<img border="0" height="300" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iZM7tTqAe9o/Ub3gQv4NbQI/AAAAAAAAEhI/8HdorVz4uHo/s400/2013-06-15%25252017.15.11.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" />Veggemac and two sides</td></tr>
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Having read the reviews I was aware that they run a no booking policy and you have to turn up and give your name and number and then they let you know how long the wait will be, they also offer to call if a table becomes available sooner. We arrived at 3ish and were told we could be seated at 4.45. We didn't mind as we had shopping to do and so we went off and came back and were seated about 4.30. However I did see quite a few customers quite disgruntled at being told there was a three hour wait. Basically you have to plan your day or evening around it - don't turn up starving already!</div>
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Highlights:</div>
<ul>
<li>Howdy Doody shake (peanut butter, banana and maple) served in a vintage milk bottle was not too sickly or thick and just delicious</li>
<li>Great choice of side dishes and good value for money - best side dish by far was the BBQ Pit beans and the sweet potatoe fries were tasty too. If you get the 'plates' (prices between £8.50 - £17.95) you get two side dishes with it and this is plenty of food. Too much really!</li>
<li>My husband raved of the beef brisket and it looked really tender</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Quite prompt service - despite the fact that your table was not assigned a specific waiter or waitress</li>
</ul>
Low points?<br />
<ul>
<li>I was really looking forward to trying the deep fried pickles, but the pickle just slipped out and you were left with just batter</li>
<li>I am veggie (so not the best place to go really!) and the veggemac was a bit sloppy and disappointing</li>
<li>Quite smokey- try to get a table away from the kitchen. We managed this as i had read that recommendation in a review online. </li>
</ul>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet potatoe fries</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep fried pickles</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big plate Beef Brisket and two sides</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-r46UmNOUnHk/Ub3gyH9EyrI/AAAAAAAAEho/q-V6yYPm0zo/s400/2013-06-15%25252017.15.25.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of the veggemac</td></tr>
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-r46UmNOUnHk/Ub3gyH9EyrI/AAAAAAAAEho/q-V6yYPm0zo/s1600/2013-06-15%25252017.15.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9tnK64leJkI/Ub3g0MqdGpI/AAAAAAAAEhw/vVLEkLsdHDI/s1600/PhotoGrid_1371398062746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9tnK64leJkI/Ub3g0MqdGpI/AAAAAAAAEhw/vVLEkLsdHDI/s400/PhotoGrid_1371398062746.jpg" width="400" /> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fOTOvjCDBA4/Ub3g2cEaO1I/AAAAAAAAEh4/PSMiweT5vHU/s400/2013-06-15%25252016.54.06.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious peanut butter, maple syrup and banana shake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Sy8fft49NFE/Ub3g4gby5HI/AAAAAAAAEiA/SL8aL-n7bRU/s400/2013-06-15%25252016.53.43.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assortment of sauces at your table</td></tr>
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Overall:<br />
<ul>
<li>Quite good value for money as you get so much food</li>
<li>Be patient and expect to have to book in person two hours in advance</li>
<li>Great milkshakes and sides</li>
<li>Brilliant for meat lovers and good deal platters for big groups </li>
</ul>
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Website: <a href="http://truebarbecue.com/"> http://truebarbecue.com/</a></div>
Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-18225422739111786212013-06-15T05:51:00.001-07:002013-06-21T11:13:49.188-07:00Krispy kreme: Birstall Royal DonutsHave you tried the new bite and reveal donuts? They've been released to coincide with the royal baby, but i am due three days before Kate. We haven't found out what we're having and our server, who was very friendly, said that it was 75% effective! So apparantly its a...girl. We shall see.<br />
We each tried their new summer coolers i had raspberry ripple cream and it was very sweet, but I have a sweet tooth and loved it. The Belgian had the pink lemonaid and found it quite sour-but also liked it.<br />
A fun thing to do with the kids this summer.<br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-B9cvC44RH94/UbxjZaJBHcI/AAAAAAAAEgI/gdtU1F9vP1M/s1600/PhotoGrid_1370709739196.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-B9cvC44RH94/UbxjZaJBHcI/AAAAAAAAEgI/gdtU1F9vP1M/s320/PhotoGrid_1370709739196.png" /> </a> </div>
Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-35014912662964700112013-03-17T02:06:00.000-07:002013-03-17T02:06:02.884-07:00So! Bar and Eats: Knaresborough, West YorkshireWe had a taste-card free trial for a month and so decided to take a day out to Knaresborough and go to one of our old favs for lunch - <a href="http://www.sobarandeatsknaresborough.co.uk/eat.html">So! Bar and Eats.</a><br />
Being a veggie I love it when you can get loads of interesting little dishes to pick at and so this<a href="http://www.sobarandeatsknaresborough.co.uk/Menu%20January%202013.pdf"> menu </a>is perfect for me. <br />
The nibbles are all around £4 and we got some falafel and hummous (which was a really generous portion) and some breads and drizzles. Mains are from around £7-12. I had the scoobies, pictured below, filled with Mexican ingredients like guacamole, salsa and refried beans. They were great.<br />
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My husband had the Italian burger and seemed to enjoy it a lot. The chips were tasty too and you got generous dips with them too. <br />
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The dessert menu looks really tasty, but we were really full and for lunch felt that one starter would have been sufficient, A great place to come with a group of friends of family and you can get a whole selection of sharers. Food is fresh and service was quite good. I would recommend it. <br />
<br />
Address:<br />
1 Silver Street<br />
<span class="Artistic-Body-C-C0">Knaresborough</span>
<span class="Artistic-Body-C-C0">North Yorkshire</span>
<span class="Artistic-Body-C-C0">HG5 8AJ</span>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-78719409065781312202012-11-04T08:33:00.001-08:002012-11-04T08:44:09.622-08:00Macy's: Headingley, Leeds<div><p>So glad that this cute little independant cafe opened and replaced the predictable starbucks. It is decorated in a vintage and laid back style. My first visit i enjoyed this deliciously indulgent hot chocolate and a toblerone brownie. Their huge range of flavours and speciality brownies was a huge attraction. The service was really friendly. So much so that when my sister came to visit we went for lunch. I had pumpkin and apple spiced soup and it was a really unique flavour and the bread was soft and fresh. My sister had a chicken and mayonaise sandwich which looked tasty. We both got fresh juices and really enjoyed the combination of flavours. Highly recommended and a grill opening in the evenings so expect another review soon.</p>
<br/><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hpbSV9y1KtA/UJaY1k8-_gI/AAAAAAAADjQ/7kNru9QoVBg/DSC00508.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hnRnikM2Qg0/UJaY3PNJBUI/AAAAAAAADjY/W4-UAftrLWk/DSC00509.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-t5K1mrO8-pw/UJaY4yVImsI/AAAAAAAADjg/aMQ31sw6Mtw/DSC00499.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2_cD1lA0CDI/UJaY6DPKx9I/AAAAAAAADjo/1drpQGcOeKM/DSC00500.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jmzTxfynvTI/UJaY7pou_TI/AAAAAAAADjw/uxeFzyz_THw/DSC00507.png' /></div>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-21600522439443623632012-11-01T10:37:00.000-07:002012-11-01T10:37:28.713-07:00Best curries in Bradford and Otley!So I felt that my much neglected little blog needed some attention and last night when I couldn't sleep I decided that a really useful post would be one about the best curry houses in this area. Of course Bradford is the curry capital of Britain (well maybe Manchester and Birmingham's curry mile competes but...) so I thought that I would give you my top 5 recommendations according to category.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1) Best for good value - Karachi.</b></span></div>
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<![endif]-->Address: 15-17 Neal
Street, Bradford, BD5 0BX </div>
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It is one of the oldest and most traditional curry houses in Bradford. It is very plain interior and there are no frills but great food and even better prices. Starter, main and drink with sundries for under a tenner. Can't complain hey? </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> 2) Best for desserts: Akbar's cafe</b></span></div>
<a href="http://akbars.co.uk/bradford-cafe">Website </a>there are several cafe's and restaurants so take your pick, but I like the cafe best as it has a huge selection of Carte D'Or ice-cream- delicious and they make the best milkshakes and sundaes. It is Muslim run and so is dry (as curry houses can be and not a problem for me). My veggie friend said they didn't have a huge selection of veggie curries, but I have eaten here a few times and always loved it and I am veggie.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue;">3) Best for take-away: Jewel of India</span></b></span><br />
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Address: 1 Bridge St<br />
Otley<br />
West Yorkshire<br />
LS21 1BQ</div>
It may be because this is just around the corner from us but it seems to recieve lots of positive reviews and praise. I like their selection of curries and their customer service is very good. If your order is over £20 then you get a free bottle of wine. I personally wouldn't eat here as it's quite small inside and I don't like it when you can hear everyone elses conversations etc so I always opt for take-away.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4) Best for veggies: Prashad</b></span></div>
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<![endif]-->86 Horton Grange Road,
Bradford, BD7 2DW</div>
<div style="color: purple;">
<a href="http://www.prashad.co.uk/vegetarian_menu_at_prashad.html">Website is here</a></div>
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I love this place! And I am certainly not alone - Gordon Ramsey praised it in one of his series'. It is vegetarian gujurati and this is my favourite type of cuisine - so much coconut and delicate flavours. The mixed platter starter is highly recommended - it is like Wonka Land for me so many exciting flavours and textures. The monster dosa is highly recommended - a flaky pancake filled with spicy curry, but make sure you share it on the table as its huge! I even took a meat loving, beer loving Aussie guy here and he loved it despite the fact that it doesn't serve alcohol - the mango lassie was a great alternative though!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5) Best for service: Westbourne Spice</b></span></div>
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<![endif]--><span style="color: #990000;">Address: Bradford Road, Otley, LS21 3LS
</span><a href="http://www.restaurant-guide.com/westbourne-spice.htm">Website</a><br />
Our first visit was not a huge success as I think that we over ordered and felt so stuffed at the end that it ruined the experience. However this is now our go-to curry house. The service is amazing and you really do get treated like a King - nothing is too much for them. You are greeted and your coat is taken from you and <br />
the banter is always great all evening. Food is brought to you on trolleys and your plate is cleaned and you get a hot towel - all evidence of a great service. The menu is varied and I have always enjoyed whatever they have recommended. A great pickle tray to start too. We came with my friends and theire little two year old and they provided a high chair and a balloon to keep her occupied and didn't seem to mind too much when she decided that she preferred to toddle around and mingle with the other customers.<br />
We also held my friend's hen party here and they have a little seperate room which they decorated with balloons and banners. They helped to make it a really fun occassion and didn't mind when we were being a bit loud!<br />
The photo below doesn't do it justice and it is lit up at night and is done out quite flashy inside - make sure you check out the etern<br />
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<br />Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-80401817109075162822012-10-31T16:57:00.000-07:002012-10-31T16:57:35.081-07:00Zizzi: Leeds and Shrewsbury<div>
Both venues are new and the Shrewsbury restaurant is really nicely done out and has amazing toilets which are well worth a visit. We tried the new tapas menu and like most tapas its not the best value for money, but the mini calzones were the highlight.<br />
Excuse the quality of the pics - am blogging from my phone (it's how I roll nowadays!) <br />
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1) Rustica pizza (I opted for it in wholemeal and it was really tasty) the mezzo et mezzo. One half had creamy new potatoes, cheese and thyme the other half had roasted peppers, chilli, rocket and mushrooms. It was a really great combo and made a change from the usual veggie options.<br />
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2) Squid ink linguine - the husband opted for this and said it was very tasty and not too overpowering or fishy.<br />
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3) The decor of the Shrewbury restaurant.<br />
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4) Dough sticks brushed with garlic butter and rosemary. A great choice to share as a starter.<br />
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5) The mini calzones mentioned above.<br />
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6) Three other dishes from the cichetti menu (or tapas for Italians) the meatballs, aubergine involtini and insalata caprese.<br />
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Check out the menu <a href="http://www.zizzi.co.uk/food">here</a>. On a par with Pizza Express and more variety on the menu. Would highly recommend - but don't get the calzone as it looked a bit measly compared to the huge pizzas!<br />
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Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-79567234662002034922012-09-15T15:35:00.000-07:002012-09-15T15:35:08.497-07:00Cobbles and Clay Cafe: Howarth, YorkshireAs part of our anniversary day out in Howarth we stopped at this cute cafe for lunch and to do some pottery painting. This would be a perfect place to bring kids. We sat in the outside dining area at the back and I liked the bunting and the rustic style.<br />
He had a smoked salmon bagel and enjoyed it very much and the salad on the side. I had a platter of olives, hummos and pita. The hummos was homemade and was too sour and tart for my tastes. I loved the cute little heart shaped dishes that the dips came in.<br />
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Overall:<br />
<ul>
<li>limited but tasty menu</li>
<li>fun and entertaining in a great location</li>
<li>delicious cake - perfect for afternoon tea</li>
</ul>
This is their <a href="http://www.cobblesandclay.co.uk/">website </a>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-38073170943400459702012-08-14T13:51:00.002-07:002012-08-14T13:52:51.315-07:00Del'Aziz: Southbank, LondonThis restaurant has been described as Aladdin's cave of delights and it certainly lives up to this description. We went on a sultry Tuesday night in July and sat outside - we arrived early and were meeting friends so we had a mint tea before we began.<br />
We went for the <a href="http://www.delaziz.co.uk/">Levantine Feast </a>for £22 for three courses and it was good value for money and we were 'stuffed' by the end of the meal. For starters you could chose from a variety of mezze and the best part was that they brought round a bread basket with at least five different varieties of homebaked bread and they were very generous and encouraged us to stock up. The hummus and baba ganoush comes highly recommended - there was also an option of hot starters.<br />
We were all pleased with our mains - the portions were very generous and the flavours authentic. My aubergine and mozerella bake was delicious and well spiced - I loved all the melted mozeralla on the top. The lamb shish went down well - although they said it could have been more flavoursome.<br />
The desserts looked delicious and were presented beautifully - it was difficult to chose! However, we found the cakes to be dry and mine (the pear and ginger) tasted of bicarbonate of soda too much. I am very picky about cakes - having sampled some delicious cakes and made very tasty ones too so this didn't live up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moroccan spiced lamb shish</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aubergine mozerella bake with French green bean salad</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vanilla and strawberry cake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate cake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spiced pear cake</td></tr>
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Overall:<br />
<ul>
<li>great location on Southbank</li>
<li>good value menu and reasonably priced a-la-carte</li>
<li>really helpful and attentive staff</li>
<li>yummy and abundant bread basket</li>
<li>lots of choice and variety in the menu</li>
</ul>
Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-43126321471487626422012-08-07T10:04:00.001-07:002012-08-07T10:04:10.785-07:00All Star Lanes Diner: Holborn LondonOn our recent trip to London for the Olympics we got a 'secret hotel room' (have you ever used this service - it's great!) on lastminute.com and were told it was in the West End and it turned out to be in Holborn and round the corner from the All Star Lanes - which is a fav in my family as we love anywhere that serves rootbeer!<br />
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We had a mixed experience this time around as the food was delicious, but the service was awful. We arrived around 8ish and we were famished. We were told that since we hadn't booked we may have to wait up to an hour, but that we could get drinks in the bar area and even order and start eating our food there if we wished. We said we would order drinks and wait for a table. I immeadiately dived into a rootbeer float and it was yummy! The bar area was full on hen parties and some of them were playing quite crude games and is was difficult to just chat and have a romantic evening with all that madness going on. After thirty minutes it seemed that some tables we free and so we went to check and they said we would have to wait longer. Another fifteen mins rolled by and other couples seemed to be getting seated before us. My husband went to investigate and this time they said that whoever we had spoken to had not registered our booking and that tables had been empty for the last half an hour - we were pretty annoyed and they seated us quickly. I felt that they could have given us free drinks or side or side orders and this would have placated me.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.allstarlanes.co.uk/venues/holborn/food-drink/">menu</a> does have a few dishes that your standard American style diner in England doesn't. My husband had the basket of fried buttermilk chicken and found that really tasty and filling. I am veggie and although they do have a veggie 'burger' stack of halloumi and quorn etc I am not the biggest fan of substitute meat. Instead I got a variety of their starters as pictured below...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3G56jXtcU04/UCFIYZixFEI/AAAAAAAAC2w/ZMXKQ4cAF9Q/s1600/July+2012+029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3G56jXtcU04/UCFIYZixFEI/AAAAAAAAC2w/ZMXKQ4cAF9Q/s320/July+2012+029.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Holding up my huge onion ring - a nice crispy ring</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BedVqh14AwE/UCFIbtH-5dI/AAAAAAAAC24/yR8pFNGLVCs/s1600/July+2012+031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BedVqh14AwE/UCFIbtH-5dI/AAAAAAAAC24/yR8pFNGLVCs/s320/July+2012+031.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">The sweet potatoe fries which were served with the buttermilk chicken were my fav part of the whole meal</span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XvBZLiUPzM8/UCFIeCQSFhI/AAAAAAAAC3A/eRhTNOOVew4/s1600/July+2012+032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XvBZLiUPzM8/UCFIeCQSFhI/AAAAAAAAC3A/eRhTNOOVew4/s320/July+2012+032.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The mini mac'n'cheese was creamy and very indulent - but just the right size</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v-kA8VB2ORg/UCFIjfy5otI/AAAAAAAAC3I/wAKwuFUQEhM/s1600/July+2012+033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v-kA8VB2ORg/UCFIjfy5otI/AAAAAAAAC3I/wAKwuFUQEhM/s320/July+2012+033.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Candied beetroot, mixed nut and goats cheese salad was a really satisfying mix of flavours</span></td></tr>
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Overall:<br />
* Varied menu with some interesting dishes<br />
* Great choice of side dishes and appetisers<br />
* Rootbeer floats just like in the states<br />
* Service a bit ropey or over the top and cheesy<br />
* Great place to go with a big groups of friends or on a hen party<br />
<br />Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-338661726991389012012-08-07T09:42:00.000-07:002012-08-07T09:42:16.388-07:00Wheatley Arms: IlkleyI have a whole range of reviews to blog as I've just spend a week sampling many culinary delights in the Capital as we had Olympic tickets. For now I will stick to somewhere local that I have visited twice and both times I have been impressed with the service, ambience and the food - The Wheatley Arms in Ben Rydding just outside of Ilkley.<br />
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My first time here I had a goats cheese & red onion sandwich, with olive & sun blushed tomato salad and a side of hand cut chips. All the ingredients are fresh and good quality and so it was delicious. The hand cut chips were a particular highlight - I refused to share them as they were so tasty.<br />
My second visit I had hot food and went for the pea and mint risotto. Risotto is one of my speciality dishes to make and so I am always quite critical when I have it at a restaurant - it was good that it wasn't too creamy or sickly as some can be, it was fresh and the pea and mint gave it a tangy and crunch taste and texture. It could have done with more grated parmesan on top as I do love my cheese. My dining partner had the fish and really enjoyed it. Their food is well made with really fresh ingredients. For dessert (see above) they have a huge selection of delicious ice-cream - not your usual neopolitan choice. I had a scoop of creme brulee and one scoop of white chocolate and it was served really nicely in a brandy basket. My partner had summer fruits merengue - which I would never have chosen and it looked a bit bland and lacking.<br />
The service was quite good although we were near to the bar and the young staff seemed more busy flirting and chatting with each other than necessarily paying attention to the customers and I felt they should have been more professional.<br />
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Overall:<br />
* beautiful interior and lots of places to sit - from casual to formal<br />
* fresh ingredients and well made food<br />
* limited selection of veggie dishes<br />
* reasonably priced for the quality<br />
* worth going for the ice-cream alone (but then I do love ice-cream!)<br />
<br />Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-76228214136871739972012-07-21T02:42:00.001-07:002012-07-21T02:42:33.941-07:00Krispy Kremes: Birstall, LeedsEver since my exchange to UGA near Atlanta Georgia I have loved these babies. My roomate's family took me here and we got a dozen glazed and I fell it love with the sugary sweetness. They were nothing like the sugared jam donuts that I knew from kids parties where we had to compete not to lick our lips.<br />
The fun thing about KK is that when the light is on you can get a free hot one straight off the conveyor belt. In the bigger stores they have a big window where you can see them making the donuts and follow the process - which is cool for little and big kids. They have a huge range of flavours and often seasonal specialities - like Sundaes for summer. This is good as there is always something new to try.<br />
On this visit we got a great deal of a four donuts and summer smoothy for around £10 - I think it was less. I had a mango cooler and it was refreshing and not too sweet - so a nice contrast to the donuts. On the donut front he had a plain (as he's vanilla kinda guy) and a lemon meringue pie which I thought looked very tasty and he confirmed it was - nice and tangy with that meringuey crunch on top. I went for my usual the sprinkles and then tried the millinaire shortbread which had a delicious caramel centre and was generously topped with dark chocolate glaze and nuggets of shortbread. I would highly recommend it.<br />
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Overall:<br />
<ul>
<li>Great for a snack when out shopping in Birstall</li>
<li>They have drive-through if you are just out cruising and want something sweet</li>
<li>They do seasonal specials and are always revising their menus</li>
<li>If you go when the light is on you get a freeby</li>
</ul>
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</ul>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-18638463250833438692012-06-25T04:17:00.001-07:002012-06-25T16:35:52.381-07:00Outsider Tart: Chiswick LondonSo a few months back I was in London staying with my sister and she was working so I had the day to myself. She suggested I braved the Circle and District line and went to explore Outsider Tart. It is a cute little local bakery owned by two American guys who she said are a real scream as she had attended one of their cookery demonstrations. They are called David and David and she felt I would particularly enjoy chatting to the Southern David who is a real joker and we could have chatted about my days at UGA! Sadly after the trek from North London they weren't in the shop but I settled on a carrot cake whoopee pie and a key lime pie soda (they have a great range of American sodas) and sat for an hour chatted away to the waitress and a local who was a real hoot (as if I can't remember her name - I can do a great impression of her east end accent though!) and she even walked me to the nearest tube stop afterwards. I think this community sense is what they are all about and what they stand for - perhaps why they opted to open their shop in 'local' area as opposed to central London where it would be mostly tourists not local customers.<br />
Since publishing their book they said many fans are making it an essential stop whilst visiting London, despite it's less than central location. They have a delicious range of bakes and I also tried their Mile High Club slice which had oatmeal and raisin cookie dough chunks and was gorgeous. Their bakes are all inventively named and all look just as tasty and full of different American style flavours and a refreshing break from cupcakes and other recent baking trends.<br />
Their signature bake is their Hepburn brownie which has a delicate Cinnamon flavour and is pictured in the middle (I picked up these slices at their market stall - check out their <a href="http://www.outsidertart.com/">blog</a> for details of when they will be a food markets). <br />
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They have won an award for best shop design and I believe non-Southern David was formerly an architect. It has got a very welcoming feel with the bar with cakes on and stools so that everyone is sat together and can chat - as we did. Lots of locals popped in as they stock lots of American goodies like pancake batter, American sodas and lots of cake mixes etc.<br />
So if you're in London I would highly recommend a visit - if not check them out at one of the many foodie markets.<br />
<br />Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-46229504693148359752012-06-15T11:05:00.001-07:002012-06-15T11:05:16.848-07:00La Comptoir: Stratford WestfieldAfter lots of fast food indulgence this plate of goodness caught my eye when out shopping in Westfield over half term with my sister. It is from <a href="http://www.lecomptoir.co.uk/">Le Comptoir</a> Lebanese cuisine - which I've never had before but always wondered about as I've seen a Lebenese in Leeds and always wondered what it would be. I am a huge hummus and so I went for the mezze platter and shared it with my sis. It was delicious, fresh and full of exciting flavours. The salad in the middle was yummy, the pulses (I think its tabouleh), the hummus was served nicely and wasn't too pungent, the falafel was hot and yummy and the baba ganoush was my favourite part of the whole platter. The fluro pink thing is a pickle and I was dared to try it, but it just tasted like a standard pickle! The little pastry was called a fatayar and it was stuffed with pine nuts and soft cheese and it was really tasty. The pita was useful for finishing it all off.<br />
There was a great choice of drinks too and I went for the freshly made lemonade with ginger and lime, it was recommended to me and it was really refreshing. <br />
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I will defo be coming here again over the Olympics...Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-57719154444071487452012-06-12T09:16:00.001-07:002012-06-12T09:17:44.584-07:00Bill Grangers: Westbourne GroveWe love this area of London as it has really upmarket vintage shops and I always pick up good bargains here. My sister is a really foodie and she had read about Bill Granger's new place opening and so we swung by to check it out. There is a no booking policy and so we arrived early (before 12) and sat in the bar for about ten mins, but it was well worth the wait. It is a really light and airy place with a mirrored wall to make it seem a lot bigger than it is, you're pretty cosy with the tables around you and it can be difficult not to listen in to other people's conversations (or maybe I'm just too nosy!) The service was quite good, not overly friendly but quite quick and efficient.<br />
The <a href="http://grangerandco.com/#">menu</a> is quite small, but everything coming out of the kitchen looked fresh, delicious and well made. We shared a plate of courgette fries with corinader and lime mayo to start and they were so yummy I could have had two more plate fulls. Really tasty sauce too. Then we shared the canelloni with spinach and ricotta and the ricotta hot cakes with fresh banana and honey butter. Both dishes were delicious. The pasta was tasty, well seasoned and creamy and a good sized portion. The hot cakes were delightful and a real treat - but the ricotta gave them a savory/sweet pairing. <br />
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I would highly recommed this place as the atmosphere was great, the prices reasonable and the food really great quality. My only bugbear was the 12.5% service charge - not what you expect for a lunch and something which always irritates me when the service is just average.<br />
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Overall:<br />
* patio like light and airy ambience<br />
* no booking so you may have to wait<br />
* delicious, seasonal and fresh dishes<br />
* great place for a brunch<br />
<br />Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-89858803513782412462012-06-07T04:29:00.003-07:002012-06-07T04:29:30.632-07:00Stratford London: Franco Manca best pizza ever!My fav thing about the malls in America are the food courts. We used to spend ages deciding what to eat and it's great if your in a group and want to mix it up a bit - you can even get little dishes from a few stalls. For this same reason I LOVE food markets, food trucks and anywhere with a variety of well cooked dishes.<br />
We were in London for the Jubilee and our first stop was Westfield in Stratford. Our first visit here we had some samples of Franco Manca pizza and we went back and brought a whole pizza to share as I am not kidding it is the tastiest pizza ever.<br />
They describe their pizza as:<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">About<a href="http://uk.westfield.com/shop/stores/francomanca/stratfordcity?category_root=dining&retailer=45285"> Franco Manca</a></span></b><div class="directory-store-detail-content-descripton" style="color: red;">
<b>Franco Manca's pizzas are made from slow-rising
sourdough and baked in a wood burning brick oven made on site by
specialised artisans from Naples. This oven produces the slow
levitation and blast-cooking process which locks in the flour's natural
aroma and moisture, ensuring a soft and easily digestible crust.</b><br />
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<span style="color: black;">I think it is the sour dough and the delicate mix of flavours which makes it - I always just get the margarita when I go as sometimes simple is best. </span><br />
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<b> I can't tell you about their drinks as we always get rootbeer at the rib shak or juices at the juice bar but I can totally recommend their yummy pizzas or garlic bread.</b></div>
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<b>Where do you eat when you go to Wesfield?</b></div>
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</div>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-56900861265608110192012-05-28T14:20:00.002-07:002013-06-21T05:59:04.438-07:00Tampopo: Leeds<div style="text-align: justify;">
The name ‘Tampopo’ is apparently taken
from the title of a cult Japanese film: a film where the heroine (named
Tampopo – meaning ‘dandelion’) finds herself on a quest for the perfect
bowl of noodles. And this is the aim of the restaurant: to focus on the
food of East Asia and to create ‘faithful reproductions of classics free
from gimmickry and interpretation’.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Leeds restaurant is one of six
branches of this mini-chain, with three restaurants in Manchester, one
in Bristol and one in Reading - with one opening soon in London Rathbone Place. The sad news is that it is closing in Leeds - I don't know why? Perhaps it is too close to its rival Wagamamas or maybe the location isn't that central. I am disappointed as it's got a great selection of veggie dishes and I am mainly veggie so...</div>
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On first impression, it’s very
Wagamama-like in its style: long benches at which you sit with other
parties of diners, a similar style of food, individual orders scribbled
on the paper place mats placed in front of each diner, which show a map
of where in East Asia each of the menu’s dishes originated.</div>
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My favourite dish here is the pad thai as it reminds me of 20p dishes from food trucks on the Ko San Road. They give you your own lime wedges and plenty of peanuts on top. This visit I opted for the Thai green curry (a fav of mine) I love that you get wedges of the mini Thai aubergines, the other veggies were really crunchy and fresh too but I found the coconut milk overpowering this time and it could have had more spice for my palette - I added some hot sauce to it. One of my fellow diners had the chicken katsu curry, which looked like a generous portion and came with a ginger and sesame salad and sticky rice which is a good deal for under a tenner. Another had the chicken abodo which came with an unusual tasting sticky sauce and some yummy deep fried sweet potatoe. </div>
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For starter we went for a variety of skewers: the prawn skewers were the fav by far. I always have the sweetcorn fritters which are a nice combo of sweet and savory and come with a mild plum dipping sauce with mini wedges of cucumber and peanuts floating in it which I like to fish out with my chop sticks! The platter to share seems like a good value starter for a group of 4 too.</div>
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I didn't go for dessert this time but have tried and loved (in the past) the coconut icecream which is refreshing and light and the deep fried bananas with toffee with a peanut coating. I would highly recommend both - but the ice-cream if you are feeling quite full.</div>
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Overall:</div>
<ul>
<li>great variety of veggie dishes </li>
<li>informal and casual setting</li>
<li>interesting starters</li>
<li>great pad thai</li>
<li>good value</li>
<li>not the greatest service - bit haphazard</li>
</ul>
JUST A QUICK NOTE: Tampopo in Leeds has sadly closed down, but it is still open in Manchester at the Trafford Centre <br />
<ul>
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Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-49098157027028608932012-05-25T08:54:00.000-07:002012-05-25T08:54:11.187-07:00Gourmet Burger Kitchen: LondonThis restaurant always seems to be doing special deals and vouchers - always a bonus. The first time I came I ordered a veggie burger (as I am *largely* veggie - or flexitarian!) and was not that impressed, although my husband really enjoyed his actual burger. On this second visit though I seemed to have made a better choice. You order at the counter and the service was quite speedy and friendly. This time I had <i><span class="title">The Billy</span></i> with aubergine, panko crumbed goats cheese, oven roasted tomatoes, rocket, mayo & relish. It was a really nice combo and nice change to a usual boring veggie burger. My mom and sister both really enjoyed their choices - the kiwiburger and the taxidriver. The chips are chunky and quite a good portion and they have tasty milkshakes. We had a lime shake on the house because the rugby was on that day.<br />
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In summary:<br />
<ul>
<li>good deals and reasonable prices</li>
<li>family friendly</li>
<li>tasty milkshakes</li>
<li>good variety of burgers</li>
</ul>
What do you think of <a href="http://www.gbk.co.uk/menu/burgers/">GBK?</a>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-79222314354885025802012-05-19T02:15:00.000-07:002013-06-21T06:00:32.713-07:00Jiving at Jonny Fontane's: Leeds City CentreDISCLAIMER: This restaurant has now closed down! <br />
<br />
So my sisters and I are all pretty crazy about American diners and so I was very excited when I saw that one was opening up in Leeds City Centre. Last night my husband and I decided to go and try out<a href="http://www.johnnyfontanes.com/"> Jonny Fontane's</a> as he had a craving for burgers. I understood from their twitter that they were experiencing some teething problems like running out of buns one day and that they were open to feedback and had already made some changes like bigger portion sizes and more meat in the burgers. The decor was quite cool and they had the checked red and white plastic tablecloths, bar stools and the sugar and napkin dispensers just like a traditional fifties diner. They had a good soundtrack and I love the huge windows as it's very light and airy. It is order at the counter 'like Nandos' as the waiter told me!<br />
Now having patronised many true American diners in my travels I felt that the food was quite average. I had cajun fries which were a bit over spiced - like the lid had come off the shaker and loads of spice had been dumped on top and they were a bit too greasy for my liking. The hot dog was quite small and not very American hot doggy style - more like a sausage. However my chocolate shake was very tasty and my husband had an impressive looking rootbeer float - we love a good root beer. And it was A&Ws the best for floats as its the sweetest of the lot. My husband had the burger and he said it was greasy and the bun was soggy. I am sure they still need to iron out these problems - but it was a shame that the decor promised so much, but the food let it down.<br />
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Overall:<br />
<ul>
<li>Ideal for big groups for a casual bite</li>
<li>Great decor and atmosphere</li>
<li>Yummy drinks like milkshakes and floats</li>
<li>Overly greasy and soggy food</li>
</ul>
Have you been? What did you think? Some people on twitter are raving about it....Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3634308335873064810.post-57893618070044763132012-05-18T13:35:00.002-07:002012-11-05T09:32:38.734-08:00Victory at Victus: Harrogate<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sadly this place has now closed down due to recession and finance issues - what a shame!</b></span><br />
I always felt that West Yorkshire was in need of more American food places and so was pleased to see this casual dining place, <a href="http://www.victusrestaurants.com/">Victus</a>, open in Harrogate. It is part owned by the racer Jenson Button and has a really relaxed vibe with a mish mash of tables, sofas, books and board games. I have been twice and first time I had a delicious chilly, cheese dog and fries and the second time a spicy flafal wrap. The wrap was very spicy but full of yummy salad and lots of goodies. The fries are huge and really tasty - we got one each but I would recommend one between two as the portions are huge! My dining buddy had the Victus burger and would fully recommend it.I had the marshmallow shake - which was their shake of the week, they also do root beer which gets a thumbs up from me.<br />
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I forgot to take pics on the day, but this is the outside from a google pic by JM:<br />
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Overall summary:<br />
<ul>
<li>Perfect for a lazy lunch (or brunch they do tasty looking pancake stacks)</li>
<li>Great portions</li>
<li>Quite slow service - you have to order at the counter</li>
<li>Exciting drinks menu</li>
<li>Reasonable prices</li>
<li>Share the fries!</li>
</ul>
Let me know if you have been and what you thought of it.<br />
Over and eat!<br />
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<br />Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07036541230341632126noreply@blogger.com1